Teen mag Sugar tries clothes line

Sugar, the UK’s leading teen magazine, is launching its own branded clothing and lingerie range following the success of its music compilation album last year.

The magazine – a joint venture between Attic Futura and North South Publishing with a circulation of about 500,000 – has appointed The Licensing Company (TLC) to manage the branding push.

Clothing company Westbridge is to manufacture a range of lingerie, nightwear and swimwear, and Force 9 will produce the clothing range, including teen fashions such as lurex mini dresses.

Further lines, including shoes and bags, are under consideration. Angela Ferrugia, joint managing director of TLC, says: “It is a co-ordinated focus. Once the clothing is in place we will accessorise around it.”

The ranges will be available through a designated section in Littlewoods catalogues from autumn 1998. The company is currently presenting to other retailers and plans to sell its branded goods through high street shops by the autumn.

The clothes will be offered at keen prices as a result of research into the spending habits of its core readers, aged 11 to 19 years, which revealed that the average spend per month on clothing by that age group is about 22.

The magazine is planning to launch further compilation albums this year.

National Magazine’s Cosmopolitan moved heavily into brand extensions last year with launch plans for branded clothing, soft drinks, bags, food, swimwear and hosiery (MW January 15).